


Treaty Treatment

by wickedrum



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Whump, everybody loves Erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-03 09:39:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10964598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedrum/pseuds/wickedrum
Summary: Set: Coda to X-Men: Apocalypse, following/changing the events after En Sabah Nur's defeat and depicting a portion of Erik's recovery from the devastating effects of his recent past.





	1. Corrosive

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimers: I don't own anything, barely my knickers.

Chapter 1: Corrosive

Removing his helmet in a show of solidarity with his fellow mutants, Erik stood somewhat uncertain and hesitant, not confident of the other mutants' reaction to his presence in the aftermath of the battle. But just as it has been the concern for his friends, Charles and Mystique that ultimately triggered his changing of sides, it was concern for them this time as well that made him stick around. He took decisive steps towards Raven who was still using the wall as support and has not moved away. “Are you alright?” His gravelly voice had clear tones of interest and vexation that won over fatigue and weariness.

“Charles...” The shapeshifter rasped her own concern, vocal cords affected by En Sabar Nur's vice grip of her throat that no amount of shifting could repress.

Giving her the slightest of nods in understanding, his arm encircled her to levitate her up a level, where they both landed to check on Charles' welfare, glad to see the professor smiling at the mutants gathered around him. Raven rushed towards the man she grew up with, but Erik held her back a moment, torn between making for his friend as well and something that seemed to keep his attention from behind. He looked back and forth between the two directions. “I need to readjust magnetic fields back to their normal pattern,” he fixed his eyes on the empty ether. The swirls of random elements moved by his power were long gone, but that didn't necessarily mean all was as it should have been. 

“You do that,” Raven agreed, not quite keen on being reminded of what he had done, and too intent on assuring herself that Charles was alright instead. 

“Wait.” It was Jean who stopped him in his tracks, making him give her a considering glance. “The Professor let me know that he wants you to come with us. After,” she nodded in the direction of his declared destination. 

Magneto heaved a sigh. It would have been far from the truth for him to deny that the idea of simply disappearing didn't cross his mind now that he knew Charles was alive. And nobody even needed to be a mind reader to realise what his disposition would be. “This, can't wait,” he pressed, underlining the importance of his undertaking, “you must sense how unstable the poles are,” the German referred to the impressive omega-level powers he had just seen her manifest. 

“Erik...” The plea came from the incapacitated mutant on the floor, directing his attention to his friend, but not letting go of Moira's hand. 

While the plea was merely a request without the persuasive powers the telepathic could well utilise now that Erik wore no protective helmet, Erik could not say no to the appeal. It was bad enough he did not come to his senses sooner and he needed to see Charles on the verge of death before changing sides, so staying was the least he could do if asked. Swallowing down the unease of being around the others, he merely turned, but did not take leave. “I will do it from here,” he walked to the edge of the remaining floorboards and lifted his hands to facilitate his task. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the geophysical forces inherent to the planet, swirls of debris appearing and starting to flow in the opposite direction to what they had been before. As he had soon found, it wasn't an easy task. While his powers were still enhanced and superior to the level prior to meeting En Sabah Nur, without Apocalypse serving as catalyst, they did not feel as potent as they previously had been. He needed to concentrate, and hard, and even then, it felt like depleting himself rapidly of his very essence. Erik grit his teeth and fought the rising nausea and his shaking hands, giving himself over to flow of energies, becoming one with the world. He could not spare a fragment of attention to the people around him, whatever they were doing, nor to the strain on his body, otherwise it would not work. 

“He's in trouble,” Charles noted worriedly from the stretcher that came with the plane Moira had organised for them rather rapidly, “he's struggling.” The telepath did not need to intrude into Erik's mind to tell, the pale composure, harsh breathing and scrunched forehead said enough. 

“You will be in trouble if you don't let me attach your IV properly,” Hank grumbled, glad for the medical supplies that arrived along with their transport, “you need to rest.”

“Jean. Does he have long to go?” Charles ignored his friend in favour of the young mutant's expertise on the matter. Now she had her powers unleashed, she would be able to be in touch with so much more of the natural laws of the universe. 

“Not long,” Jean levitated a stretcher down to the ground where the others took over manually.

“Can you help?”

“If I had to, but I'd rather not horn in right now, I would only cause interference if co-operation is not coordinated.”

“Do I need to give you a sedative to make you take a breather?” Hank warned.

“Stay with him,” Charles gave his last advice as he was being transported over to the aircraft at their service. It was just in good time that they've disappeared inside, as all the floating rubble came raining down dangerously all of a sudden without warning while Erik tumbled from the edge, levitation seeming to be completely out of his control for the moment. He landed hard on concrete, gagging on all fours, the meagre contents of his stomach joining the mess. 

“Erik!” Raven was at his side in an instant, a hand against his shoulder to stop him from falling into his puke as the shaking arms of the man she could not trust. “Erik, what's wrong?”

The German merely groaned, trying to get a hold of himself and pull back to his haunches, to find some sort of equilibrium himself and distance from the vomit and the cape he had ruined with those fluids. The attempt was only partially successful however. He only sounded like he was moaning weakly, with his eyes closing and himself collapsing to the side into Raven's welcoming arms more than anything else. Erik pulled at the chestplates, they were both constricting, making it difficult to breathe and pressing into his belly as he hunched, exacerbating his nausea. Instinctively, the blue mutant helped him out of his armour, discarding the messy cape at the same time. Erik held onto her, making a conscious effort to regulate his breathing and pull himself together, “it's not done,” he manoeuvred himself onto his knees, letting go of her and putting his arms out to concentrate on forces below Earth's surface again. 

Jean stood hesitant. The psychokinetic could sense the planet's magnetism approaching normal, but it was a shaky and precarious process, one that threatened of potential earthquakes and tsunamis if Magneto let any mistake slip beyond a certain safety margin. She let out a sigh when it was finally done, not sure at all of her own abilities to perform the feat without error. Erik did one more mental inventory and assessment of geometric fields before letting himself be overtaken by weakness, hands going to his belly as he folded, head spinning, his whole body rebelling against the overuse of his powers that took place over the last few days. 

“We should take him to the plane,” Jean offered, going to her knees on his other side to support him together with Raven. His insides cramped mercilessly as they pulled him to his feet and he pitched forward, both women having to strain to catch him. 

“I can levitate him over,” the younger woman suggested, somewhat at a loss as they watched the German gag and heave, with nothing more than saliva emptying from his stomach all through the great effort.

“Give...me...a...moment...” Erik was trying to catch his breath, uneasy about the fuss he has unintentionally made. It was sheer will and attempting to avoid complete disgrace that made him straighten up and resort to holding on to Raven, only. At this moment, he could concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other, everything else faded into a diaphanous hollow.

“A bit of help,” Raven appealed to Nightcrawler standing by the entrance of the plane as she felt Erik's grip weaken and his knees buckle despite his best efforts. A moment later they were standing inside the fuselage, right by the wall, that Erik was thankful for, utilised to lean on and let himself slide down into a sitting position against it. 

Raven did not leave him however. She sat down beside him with a hand on his knee and giving him concerned looks. “Do you need anything?” She wanted to check.

“I am so sorry,” Erik's forehead creased as he closed his eyes in protection against the world. More he could not offer, keeping himself from passing out was strenuous enough. 

Tbc


	2. Pressure

Chapter 2: Pressure

Raven had taken the initiative to lower Erik to the floor. Just like she had predicted, he made no protest at being handled, in fact he was worrisomely unmoving and limp despite her calling his name and patting his face. The plane's fluorescent lighting could have been playing tricks on her mind, but it looked to her as if his colour has turned to that of ice, along with the temperature of his body. “Hank..” She called out tentatively. 

The genius geneticist glanced over at her from the other side of the fuselage where he was tending to Charles. “You alright Raven?” 

“I'm fine, it's not me,” the shapeshifter cast desperate looks at her charge.

“Busy here, Raven,” Hank dismissed Erik's medical needs on the grounds of being indignant with him.

“Somebody else can hold my IV-bag,” Charles protested, “I want you to check on Erik,” the professor became worked up, trying to raise himself to he could see over to the other side.

“And I want you to sit still and rest,” the doctor pushed him back, then grunted, knowing well he would have to relent, “will you lie down if I go over and check?” Hank shook his head in protest and scooted over. They weren't more than a few feet apart in the small space available on the aircraft after all. It was huffily that he grabbed for the pulse, taking some time to give it his full attention, then he seemed to pause for a while before changing gear and hastily pulling the kit over for a stethoscope and the blood pressure cuff, listening to the lungs and checking Erik's temperature, suddenly in apparent haste.

“What's wrong?” Raven couldn't hold on to wait till Hank finished shining a torch under the German's eyelids and checked for reflexes. 

“I need a blanket, set up fluids and the oxygen tank,” the X-Men's medical doctor barked at the medic who came with their transport, courtesy of Moira MacTaggert. 

“What's wrong with him?” Mystique pressed.

“He's showing signs of shock, we need to stabilise him,” Hank placed the face mask over Erik's mouth and nose.

“Why would he be in shock?” The rogue agent theorised.

“Hm,” Hank pondered, holding the needle he intended to lead into a vein, “I really don't want this in my eyes.” He paused, looking up at Erik's face, then decided he was going to take the chance and inserted the needle into the other mutant's arm.

They were all rather surprised when nothing happened, not even as much as the metal sliding out peacefully in the absence of the patient's conscious awareness of what was happening. Hank shook his head and Raven hovered apprehensively, “will he be alright?” She demanded a reply firmly.

“It's Erik,” the doctor gave his non-informative answer, proving he really didn't know himself, he would not distress Raven out of all people any more than it was absolutely necessary.

“His stomach hurts,” Charles provided, resuming his efforts to pull himself into a sitting position to be more helpful.

“You shouldn't be using your powers at all, anything could be overexertion at this point,” Hank warned, but took heed and palpated the indicated area. “I don't like this, I don't understand.” He seemed more troubled by the puzzle, rather than the effect of it on this particular patient.

“I've seen him sick,” Storm stepped closer, “twice since I've met him. I thought it was to do with grief..”

“What that tells us is that the affliction isn't new,” Beast concluded, “it was only exacerbated by the overuse of powers. That makes a little bit more sense,” he seemed more satisfied as he sat back on his haunches. “Jean. I will not ask Charles cause it's pointless, so can you please tell me if his condition gets worse or if he needs anything. I will have to stay with Erik, monitor him closely.”

“Count on it,” the girl gave an awkward, but reassuring smile. 

Charles eyed him disapprovingly, “and you will tell us if his condition changes. With that promise, I will rest.”

“I have everything under control,” Hank assured. With the way he was checking Erik's pulse again, it didn't look like it. 

Raven held his other hand, “wake up, it's me, your Raven. We're here for you, your family,” she glanced at Peter sitting to the side, wishing the boy would finally come forward with the big secret as it would have probably helped Erik on the long run for sure, “all of us.” Hank huffed a little at that, but ultimately, it was true. He wasn't saving him because he was told to, he would have anyway.

Tbc


	3. Framework

Chapter 3: Frame

Charles found his awakening blissful, with no other minds in the vicinity to have to make a conscious effort to keep out from. He enjoyed the quiet for a while. It almost felt like it had been when he was using the serum, and that thought ultimately made him want to check on his current reality. No, he could not move a toe, but on further consideration, he could sense a presence, one that was blocking his mind. 

“Hank insisted on keeping you mental and nervous strain free in the interest of swift recovery,” Jean apologised at his unease with the discovery. 

“You can drop the barrier now,” Charles requested strongly. He didn't even completely understand how the girl was doing what she was achieving, shielding his mind from all interference, but he did realise immediately why she was doing it now. Someone was suffering greatly, and close by. Erik.

“Where is he?” The professor demanded, sitting up and looking for a wheelchair. 

“In the room across from your hospital room.”

For more demands there was no need, Jean pulled forward the wheelchair without further ado. It wasn't his specially designed one, that one would have been lost somewhere in the fight with En Sabah Nur, but it served the purpose well enough, along with the young woman's assistance in getting him in it. He would normally do that on his own, but he didn't mind this time, he felt like he had to get to Erik as soon as possible. His friend's presence called to him. In full control of his own powers now, he did not need no guidance or steering to find the master of magnetic forces, but while he had some sort of idea what he will find, the entire strength of the other's suffering still shocked him and he paused, breathless and incapacitated. “Erik..” The word tumbled out of his mouth, his mind not daring to intrude. That amount of intense grief and guilt that consumed the German, not just for his family, but for all those casualties that resulted from his manipulation of the planet's magnetism, that was sacred. Charles wasn't even sure he could force Erik out of that state of mind. 

Jean had to have found it hard to cope with the intensity of that self-reproach as well because she stepped to the head of the bed and placed a soothing hand on Erik's forehead. Her suggestive powers lulled his distress somewhat, put some kind of dampener on the depth it was coming from. Charles wasn't sure how much it actually helped the sufferer, but at least it gave the two telepaths space to be able to think above the roar of emotion. 

“I would tell you to go back to bed, but I know it's pointless,” Hank emerged from the side.

“How is he?” Charles questioned his friend, his gaze not leaving the closed eyelids of the ailing mutant. “Physically I mean.”

“He's...stable.”

“That doesn't sound very reassuring, Hank. Or descriptive,” Charles had to struggle with himself not to delve into the blue mutant's mind and get the information he wanted himself. “What's going on here?”

“I don't know myself,” the scientist admitted reluctantly. “His results and vitals are all over the place.”

“I thought you said he was stable.”

“He is. If any marker reached dangerous levels, so far we could always get it back to acceptable levels. But his kidney function is practically non-existent, and he's running a fever that we believe is to do with the acute abdomen he has. We might have to operate just to find out what it is.”

Charles nodded slowly, “his stomach hurts badly, Hank.” Beneath Jean's shielding, beneath all Erik's guilt, that much was clear. “He needs help.”

“I can assure you, we're giving him all the morphine we can.”

“Then what you're doing is not enough!” Charles reproached, frazzled and frustrated by the effect Erik's pain was having on his own sense of well-being. Bearing it without breaking was a struggle, as if he didn't really have many years of practice. Somehow it hurt him more if it was Erik.

“Oh my stars and garters, do you not think I'm doing everything I can! But I can't see inside him or figure out the cause!” 

The professor pulled himself closer to the bed and grabbed for its occupant's hand, not trusting his own powers to do enough to reach him. “I'm here for you Erik,” he said it out loud, “for whatever you need me for. You have to let us help you. You don't need to open your eyes, just reach out to me. What's wrong? If there are any clues to what's wrong with your stomach, anything you could say, it could be useful. Erik?” He called out for him both outwardly and seeping into the chaos of his mind, whirling, dizzying, harrowing, roughshod. Charles leaned forward, intent, on the lookout for any change. 

The movement surprised him as the weighty burden keeping Erik's thoughts captive in a loop did not lift, but he still squeezed the telepath's hand, and painfully strongly too. 'I killed them, I killed so many,' the lament reached Charles while Erik's breathing quickened, sounding like moans.

 

“Whatever you're doing, it's not good,” the doctor stared at the heart monitor, “you need to calm him down. Forcefully if you have to. I cannot up his morphine any more.” 

Charles glanced up to the monitor himself, then down at the squirming, breathless mutant clutching his stomach, his physical condition just as bad as his mental. There was nothing else to do but the ultimate intrusion the telepathic would always be reluctant to do to anyone, to sever and mute the sufferer's mind, practically turning him into a vegetable for the time being. But with no thought, feeling, sensation or awareness, there could be no suffering. He did it on impulse, there was no more either of them could take. Erik's grip loosened and slid out lifelessly onto the bed.

Tbc


	4. Exertion

Chapter 4: Exertion

“Erik?” Charles perked up from the uncomfortable position he had tried to sleep in, trapped in the generic wheelchair as opposed to his own, more comfortable and specially developed one, “take it easy, you had major abdominal surgery,” he tried to calm the squirming, wakening patient.

“What..did you do.” Erik forced his parched throat to form the words, never entirely keen to make use of the other mutant's power and send the thoughts instead, especially not now when he felt some pathways of his own mind inaccessible to him. 

“What I had to,” the telepath defended his actions. “Your burden was killing you. Hank says you're healing much better this way.”

“You need to give them back to me. Nina. Magda,” the sick man appeared frantic.

“I didn't take their memory from you,” Charles was surprised to see a wet sheen coating Erik's eyes, threatening to spill, making him contemplate the opposite, that he had in fact did not block enough of his pain. 

“Not feeling their death how I should, it diminishes their importance, it feels like not having had them, like losing them all over again. I need to have them back Charles,” Erik struggled to reach out for him, resorting to make the bedframe move him into a better position instead.

“Don't do that, calm down,” the telepathic rushed to grasp his hand on his own accord, “you need to save your energy, give yourself time.”

“How can I give myself time! There are thousands of edifices in the world needing rebuilding, structures I caused to fall! Lives I cannot restore, but that at least..”

“Forgive me Erik, but this is why I had to dampen your feelings, so you don't rush off senseless. I can't let you out of my sight, we need to get you to recover at least a little before that.”

“Charles...” Erik was breathless and it sounded like begging.

“You know how hard it is to watch you torture yourself and not force you to sleep instead?” The New Yorker complained. 

“And when are you intending to go back to keeping to your values and not intruding into private matters!”

“When your body is able to handle it,” the professor stood by his decision, “when you don't end up in a critical condition if left to your own devices.”

“It's not your responsibility!”

“Like it or not, I'm not letting up till Hank tells me you're out of the woods.”

“And I'm guessing you're also going to keep me from protesting as well?”

“If I really have to, yes, but I'm not planning on interfering with your speech or powers at all.”

“If I'm sensible.” Erik rolled his eyes at the prospects. In truth, he was getting really aweary. Fighting would have required motivation and emotion, and he was too tired for both. The cramping of his belly was rather distracting too. He leaned back, stilling, riding it out. 

“I am your friend and I am on your side, please just remember that. Let's just deal with everything one step at a time.”

“Charles.” Erik's intonation spoke of uncertainty.

“Yes?” 

“What was the abdominal surgery for?” The master of magnetism finally realised he should consider that.

“You developed peritonitis due to an inflammation of the intestines. Since no pathogen could be found, Hank thinks it's because you were never meant to use your powers at a global scale, which resulted in damage at a point of weakness. Do you happen to have a weak stomach?” The telepath was testing the theory at the same time. 

Erik froze. Of course Magda was always there to rub his belly at night when it was needed. “Sometimes..”

Charles seemed satisfied with the answer. Noting his discomfort, he ventured to put a hand on the other's arm reassuringly, “do you trust me?”

“You mean well, for everyone.” That much was clear. After his outburst, Erik was much calmer now, paradoxically content with the glimpses of the memories he could access about his wife. The rest didn't matter to him right now, it kind of felt as if floating away from him. But then again, that could have been the drugs. 

“Erik, I swear to you, everything will be alright. I will make it so. Now rest, you need it,” the professor recommended and the patient really did not know if it was the words that made him close his eyes with how he found comfort in his friend's voice, or there was some more suggestive power behind them. 

Tbc


	5. Locomote

Chapter 5: Locomote

“Charles...” Erik's weak, but urgent moan was accompanied by squirming, and a pathetic attempt to try to turn to his side, hands too busy protecting his abdomen from the strain of the movement to be of much use otherwise.

“It's me, Raven,” came the consolatory answer and helping hands aided him immediately, along with making a sick bowl appear under his chin, just in time for his stomach to expel the meagre few spoonfuls of jello he was supposed to try for lunch. 

Erik gripped the side of his bed, trying to remain as still as was possible while throwing up at the same time, and lessen the shocks of pain each flow of stomach acid elicited round his midsection. Raven sat onto the bed, in the best position to both hold the bowl and gently stroke his arm and back, sympathetic and attentive. 

“Why can't you just let me die,” he complained after the bout let off enough for him to speak.

“Can't say I wasn't tempted at one point. But we're family! We always will be,” the shapeshifter looked somewhat irritated with his attitude. 

Erik let himself fall back onto the pillows with a resigned sigh. “I've tried fighting them, I've tried living with them peacefully side by side. Neither works.”

The other mutant gave a non-committal gesture before transporting the sick bowl over to the waste disposal box under the window to the corridor. She was in her human form for being in a private hospital, a somewhat public space. “Humans have never given me particularly good reasons to like them, but open wars are rarely beneficial. I have my own secret 'hood of X-Men, for covert operations. You could always join us.”

“Perhaps you forget I cannot shapeshift like I assume, your members.”

“Not many do. But most can manipulate things from a distance. Magnetism will do.”

“This is a good joke, you trying to recruit me.”

“I'm serious. I'd say it's a hundred times the better option comparing to Charles offering you to stay with him at the school they're rebuilding.”

“You don't want me,” Erik warned.

“No, perhaps not, not on the long run. You're too pig-headed and purblind to any idea you don't agree with. I'm aware that sooner or later you will try to bend causes to your own will.”

Erik scoffed at that. Yes, that would have been correct at any time in the past, but currently he did not feel like wanting anything, never mind the strong predilections and judgements that characterised his life prior to his recent personal tragedy. “Then why offer.”

Raven visibly rolled her eyes. “We know you won't stay with Charles. But someone needs to keep an eye on you before you do something anserine, again. Like giving yourself up to be arrested for the destruction.”

“Nothing's private in my brain anymore, is it.”

“Charles wouldn't search it if it wasn't important. We want to keep you alive.”

Erik raised disbelieving eyebrows, “beats me why.”

“I believe in a future. A mutant future. There was a time you believed in it too. Don't you want to see it?”

“It's my daughter who should've had the chance to see it.”

Raven gave him an acknowledging nod that turned into a contemplative one, “you loved her mother didn't you? A human. You've bedded others, fleetingly, but her, you married her.”

“It isn't the entirely of the human race that could not live peacefully with our species. There are exceptions. Which is why I have to get better and leave!” He squirmed uncomfortably, “there are so many buildings to reconstruct all over the world!”

“You want to help with the reconstruction?” Raven wasn't sure she'd heard it right. “Why?”

“I need to! I need to do something that feels right.”

“Helping humans feels good?” The shapeshifter was stuck on the same implausible detail like moments before.

“I don't know! I do know that there's a difference between fighting for our existence and killing innocent bystanders. Much more I cannot think of right now and I don't think it's Charles' doing either. He only blocked some feelings and memories. Not to mention that sitting idle is not my forte! I need to get better so I can leave.”

Raven sighed, “do you think that's wise? Showing up in places where they might blame you for the destruction as opposed to Apocalypse?”

“I've seen the news. It seems like Moira has some amazing persuasive powers of her own, making people believe I was on their side.”

The mutant in a blonde's disguise shook her head, “either way, you shouldn't be going alone,” she offered. 

“I'm afraid it's not really time to worry about that,” Magneto waved his intentions in the direction of another sickbowl, his other hand going to his mouth to keep his stomach contents down till the container would be placed into his lap.

tbc


	6. Descent

Chapter 6: Descent

“Not got anything better to do kid than loiter around?” Erik raised his voice so it could be heard on the corridor, “I might not be able to see it but I do know you've been swishing past my door on a regular basis,” he called out to his shy visitor. 

“Just testing my legs,” Peter Maximoff slowed to visible to appear leaning leisurely to the doorframe. 

“My guess is they're healed alright,” Erik referred to their velocity.

“Yes, I thinks so,” the young mutant allowed. 

“You've been making a habit of turning up around me,” the older man observed. “A lot.”

Peter shrugged, “Mystique says we are all family.”

“Some more than others,” Erik acknowledged.

“You are intending to aid the rebuilding?”

“Raven sure talks a lot.”

“I think my powers could be just the right skill for that,” Peter ignored his last comment. 

“Yes, and you can start anywhere, right now,” the patient tried to offer alternatives to them joining forces. 

“True, but if you intend to remain unseen for the most part, I can transport you in and out to specific sites virtually invisible.”

“And why are you so intent on helping me? For Raven?” It wasn't rare when humans and mutants alike were amenable to do anything for the shifter. 

Peter pursed his lips in a negating manner, “I'm doing it for family,” he emphasised, though he still did not quite get bold enough to meet the other's eyes. 

“Again? Whatever, kid,” Erik grumbled, not in the mood for puzzles with his nausea intensifying given all the recent activity, a little bit more taxing than just lying in bed wordless, guarding his precious stomach contents of a couple of bits of toast he'd finally managed. 

“It is for my family,” the teenager stressed, not liking how he was brushed aside. It was now or never, “for my father. You,” he said defiantly.

“What...did you say?” Erik's forehead creased in slow motion, at a delay given the time his preoccupied mind needed to process the words, and it seemed even longer to the speedster.

“You remember when I said my mother knew someone who could manipulate metal? You are my father.”

“Are you sure of that?” The possibility hit Erik like a wall crushing against him. One part of him wished it to be true so much, the other shrank back from the implications. Right now, he was not ready for more family to worry about and lose. 

“How many people do you know who can control metal? Of course it's you.”

“Your mother said so?” Erik wanted to be as sure as possible. 

Peter blew air out his nose, somewhat nettled, “yes.”

“What's her name? Where did I meet her? How old are you?” 

“You met her in DC, twenty-seven years ago, spent a few months with her, didn't mind showing your powers. I don't know much else, my mother tends not to talk about you unless she absolutely has to. Her name is..”

“Zehra..She didn't tell me she was pregnant!”

“Hm, you remember,” Peter was decidedly surprised. 

Erik didn't care about that right now though. His forehead creased with further confusion, “you're my son..” He stared at the other mutant without much direction.

“Well, I don't mind if you take your time to process. I mean fast as I am, it took me years to get to grips with it,” the speedster shrugged his father's reaction off. 

The patient shook his head, “do you realise how unlucky that is, having me as your father?”

“Oh you mean in a damage control, breaking you out of jail kind of way? Yeah, I realise you might need a bit of coddling.”

“I once... Not so long ago, I knew how to be a father. That, till the fact of my existence got my daughter killed,” Erik's voice clang with bitterness like a sharp knife. “You'll do well staying away from me.”

“I'm not a little child. I can take care of myself, or the very least speed out the way. You need me and can't stop me.”

“And you're doing this out the goodness of your heart?”

“Do you know how taxing it is having to wait the length of the time needed to read an entire book just till somebody makes it up a flight of stairs or comes out the bathroom? I'm doing this for myself, to alleviate boredom. And, I would be lying if I denied I was not curious about my father. I have always been curious, ever since I've found out about you. So I'm coming whether you like it or not. We have a plan in place with Raven for when you're feeling better.”

“She knows about this?”

“About me being your son? She's known it for a while.”

Erik gave a slow, contemplative nod, briefly also crossing his mind on a tangent that his laggard reactions were probably making his son(!!) rather frustrated. His son. And if Raven knew about him, she had clearly been pushing for a possible parental relationship, what with bringing the kid along. That knowledge that she had trusted him at least that much had given Erik a push, outbalancing the scales between wanting to disappear and protect the boy that way or allow his heart to open a fraction and let him in and the possibleness of having a family again. “Peter.” He showed he knew the name after all, “I may not be hunted down right now thanks to Moira's way of explaining things, but that they will come again, and soon, is certain. No matter what, it always ends the same way so I can not promise you anything,” he grappled with himself, “I cannot promise you what I would do shall any harm neared you from them, or any of us. I lose control, I overstep, I do things I regret, yet would do the same all over again. And that was when I thought I had some sort of direction.”

“That I know, the speeches and the ideology.”

“Do you agree with it?” Erik was hoping.

“My mother's human and she has been great. It's not necessarily mutant against human..”

“Maybe,” his father seemed dazed, or perhaps worn-out, “I don't even know anymore.”

“Does it matter right now? I mean, we're going building for them if I understand right.”

Erik took a strengthening breath, suddenly very eager to work on his appetite and digestion, “push me that tray over.”

tbc


	7. Wrench

Chapter 7: Wrench

“Are you sure I cannot change your mind?” Charles accompanied his old friend down the ramp of the newly rebuilt Institute, with a few improvements and modernisations that is. He turned his wheelchair towards Erik, also coming out in a wheelchair due to how weak he still was, far from fully recovered. But he reasoned that if his powers could move his own chair, then he would be ready to get on with his plans. 

“I'm doing something you actually approve of and you still complain,” Erik teased.

“Call if you need anything,” the professor leaned forward to offer his hand, “fair well old friend,” he watched as the other floated his chair into the van waiting for them. 

Raven squeezed her childhood companion's shoulder as she walked past, changing into her human form for the road outside the compound, 'I will send you frequent updates,' she made use of his telepathic powers to keep their worries out of Erik's earshot. 

“Don't let him overexert himself,” Charles said out loud.

“As if I could make him listen,” Raven rolled her eyes. 

“If there's anyone he will listen to, it's you.”

“I thought it was you,” the woman countered.

Charles sighed, looking at Quicksilver, “I speculate there's no point to asking you to slow Erik down, would you even know the meaning of the word.”

“Yeah, of course. I have a little sister,” Peter shrugged, “and my mum thinks I'm the best babysitter. Never too busy to play a boardgame, and waiting on Wanda to make her next move.”

“Well, substitute baby with Erik, should work the same way,” Raven suggested. 

“I can hear you, you know,” the patient's complaint came from the van.

“Whoop dee doo, suck it up cause you will be babied till we can see you able to stand for any length at least,” she followed him into the vehicle.

“Are you sure you don't want me to run ahead, find somewhere to stay?” Peter was not looking forward to the prospect of spending countless hours with slow moving transport.

“Do you ever play chess with your sister, Peter?” Was Erik's suggestion for the journey.

“You don't want to play chess with me. I can analyse the hole board ten times over while you raise your hand to grab one of the pieces.”

“I like a challenge,” Erik floated one of Charles' elaborately engraved sets out his study window and into the van, “you don't mind, do you?” Were his parting words to his friend as he peeked out at him. 

“You can treat him as a baby there too,” Raven teased, “let him win.”

“I will play fair and on one condition,” the speedster settled down across from his father, in front of the still floating chess set in the middle of being arranged into formation, “you tell me everything.”

“Anything. What do you want to know?” Erik showed having opened up his heart, ready to let his son in. 

“You see, it gets confusing, you changing sides all the time. Are you with the X-Men, or are you not? With the Brotherhood? And who's Brotherhood? How many are there? Are you against humans or are you not?”

“I don't deny that I have made mistakes, choices that proved to be wrong. Which is why I'm currently trying to do right by all.”

“Even by humans,” Peter stressed. 

“To a point, yes. Let's not be delusional. The present-day truce between mutants and humans in the wake of defeating En Sabah Nur is merely temporary. We will be trying to kill each other before soon, don't despair. Which is where the Brotherhood comes in. Our first I've gathered with Raven has split in two with her departure and now I know I've been doing things wrong, staying away from our kind, laying low. We can't co-exist with humans, not on the long term. But seeing Apocalypse's reach, his enhancing powers and meeting the likes of Jean and Storm and Crystal with impeccable command of the elements, I now have a new plan. You wanted to know everything, so here it is: I am planning to gather mutants with similar abilities so that we can make our own planet. Either on the Moon, with generating atmosphere and terraforming, or making one from scratch. If we put our powers together, we are capable of that, no doubt. Leave Earth to humans, how we found it. What do you think?” He directed his question more at Raven, his many times partner in crime and otherwise. 

“It's the first sensible thing you've said ever since that beach in Cuba,” the woman was ready to listen.

Tbc


	8. Wrench

Chapter 8: Wrench

Charles would have admitted to expecting some sort of trouble sooner, for Erik either to fall ill, change his mind, or run into humans opposing his activities, for Raven to call out to him for attention, for Moira to pick up the phone and let him know of impending doom or a change of public opinion, but none of that came to pass, not in Egypt, not in New York, Sydney, Europe or South Africa. So it was somewhat of a surprise when Nightcrawler appeared in his study, making him look up by knocking on his door on the wrong side, from inside the room. But instead of objecting to the invasion of his personal space, Charles wheeled forwards, “something wrong, Kurt?”

“Mystique sent me to get you and Hank to teleport with me to Paris.”

“Of course we would if you need us,” Charles assured the insecure and overanxious youngster. “I'm already contacting him telepathically to ask him to come here. But why don't you tell me what's going on while we're waiting for Hank?”

“You're friend Magneto is very ill.”

“Then wouldn't it make more sense to teleport him here instead? We have the facilities to help him here, new rooms, brand new equipment.”

“He doesn't want to come and Mystique says not to force the issue, we wouldn't want the hotel room in shambles.”

“Oh,” Charles understood the difficulty.

“Why did you tell me to bring my medical kit?” Hank burst in at a run in alarm.

“We're going to France,” the telepath barely warned him before the young mutant whisked them away to a softly lit, spacious room with pristine white linen and a television set on mute on a news channel that Raven seemed to be half paying attention to, but she now rose at their appearance. 

Charles took in his surroundings. The room wasn't quite luxury accommodation, but not far from it, the lights of the city peeking out from behind the partially drawn curtains. He had heard that Raven's guilty pleasure had often been using her abilities so that she could casually enjoy random luxuries, but her childhood friend did not care about that right now, especially not given her aura of worry etched on her face too. Erik made a good attempt at shielding his pain at their arrival even without his helmet, though that fooled no one. Hank stepped to him immediately, the purpose of his medical kit becoming blatantly obvious. “It's good to see you, old friend,” the telepathic started emphatically, “despite circumstances”. 

“Came to reason with me?” Erik grumbled with a sense of definite deja-vu.

“I don't ever want to make you do anything, not really.”

“But for my own benefit, you will chain me to this bed better than any magnetism could,” the sick man complained, trying to push Hank away. 

“No,” Charles denied any questionable intentions firmly, “I will definitely wait out what the doctor has to say at the very least.”

“What happened?” Hank directed his question at Raven while taking his patient's temperature.

“I've had enough of his shenanigans, that's what happened,” the blue woman looked down at Erik disapprovingly, “he's collapsed five times over the last week and he's back to barely keeping any of his food down. That after he was almost back to normal! But he had to overdo it, didn't he, rebuilding the Louvre in one night!”

“I'd promised I'd rest, there was no need to call in a committee!” Erik grouched, irritated further by Hank's abdominal exam. 

“You used to be okay with delegating before,” Raven argued.

“If it was just my son, that would be fine, but to have Crimson Commando, Beak, Basilisk and the rest of your Brotherhood doing what I set out to do, that isn't what I had planned!”

“Why, because those members aren't ones you've recruited?” The shifter countered. 

“Wait, wait, hold on,” Charles interrupted the bickering, “are you saying that the ill famed Brotherhood of Mutants is currently aiding the rebuilding of human beings' cities?”

“Well, they aren't doing it for humankind, if that's what you're wondering,” Raven quipped, “they're doing it so Erik doesn't go around killing himself with the effort,” she reproached the German. 

“All the same..it's marvellous,” the telepath held, “and it will do a hell of a lot of good on the long term for mutantkind's reputation as well.”

“How long are they willing to continue with that,” Hank stepped back from the bed, “cause Erik's not going anywhere. Not till we deal with his dehydration and whatever infection has set in. He might need surgery again too, I will perform some tests.”

tbc


	9. Vector

Chapter 9: Vector

“You are not intruding,” Charles answered Erik's mind as he turned his wheelchair around on the pristine lawn of his Institute's yard to face his old friend.

“I didn't want to disturb you..” Erik gestured dismissively with the metal cane he used to steady his still weak and wobbly legs, “you must come out here to be away from everyone, from interfering minds. I can wait till you come in.”

“You are not everyone,” the telepath nodded at the bench close to him, indicating he wanted Erik to sit with him. “How are you feeling?”

“Eh,” Erik commented discontented as he slowly lowered himself into a sitting position, wincing. Bending his midsection was always tricky.

“That bad?”

“I probably deserve this, you know. Pretending like I knew what I was doing, harnessing so much power I barely had control over.”

“Apocalypse got into your head at the right moment to sway you from your principles. We mutants have a tendency to play god. It usually ends in disaster without proper restraint.”

“I guess my case could serve as a clear example of what not to do, for your students. You could teach that!”

“It happens with everyone. The powers themselves, they can be tempting. How is the stomach though?”

Erik made a non-committal head gesture, “getting there. Though I could do with a real doctor, as opposed your scientist side-kick who by the way hates me.”

“If you think that would help, it can be arranged.”

“Oh, no, and what would they diagnose me with? Maniacal psychopathy with suicidal tendencies? They wouldn't even bother with noticing the physical ailments, or worse.”

“Suicidal?” Charles picked up on the word.

“What would you call overuse of powers regardless of consequences to one's body, that's how it could seam.”

“But it isn't,” the bald man wanted to confirm.

“You would know if you looked into my brain.”

“That's exactly it, I don't, not since I removed the blocks to your grief. I didn't think it was right to interfere more, not when you can obviously function okay. But I'm always here if you need me, remember that.”

Erik acknowledged the offer with a solemn nod, a small smile playing on his lips in appreciation of their unique friendship. Never completely of the same opinion, yet connected for life. “I have no use for a human doctor, but Mystique assures me her once associate Jason can help me as much as your Hank.”

“So this is good bye once more,” Charles summarised. 

“I find it hard to believe in myself these days. But Raven...”

“...is one of a kind,” the telepath admitted defeat once more. While his childhood companion stayed for a while to train his students into X-Men for the duration Erik was forced to take his time recuperating, there was no doubt of her choice between the two mutants hoping for her attentions. “Are you well enough to leave? Do you need me to organise transport?” He aired generosity. Concentrating on technicalities made him avoid his emotions for a bit. 

“We will manage, Charles.”

“Promise me you'll take care of each other.”

“I give you my word, Charles. I know how much she means to you. To both of us. But this time, maybe our goals aren't all that different? If we do manage to transform the Moon with Raven's mutants, would you come?”

“For a visit, sure. We aren't just mutants though. There is a large part of our DNA that's still human. I can't give up on them, I just can't.”

Erik raised his eyebrows resignedly, but not in any way surprised, then utilised the help of his cane to raise himself off the bench, “I'll never wear that helmet again. I will leave it here with you. You know how to find us,” he nodded appreciatively, “good bye, old friend.”

“Good bye, Erik,” Charles' voice deepened with sadness, “take it easy, will you and good luck.”

The End.


End file.
